Indicator light for panel mounting



April 17, 1956 M. ALDEN 2,742,636

INDICATOR LIGHT FOR PANEL MOUNTING Filed April 11, 1952 [ml/1672502" j l fowflfidem United States Patent O ce 2,742,636 INDICATOR LIGHT FOR PANEL MOUNTlNG Milton Alden, WellesIey,-Mass. Application April 11, 1952, Serial No. 281,779 3 Claims c1. 340 ss1 Although the use of pilot or indicator lights for electric. circuits is old and well known in the art, the large size, excessive power consumption and difficulty of maintenance of available lights has limited their use.

. It is accordingly the principal objects of this invention to provide an indicator lamp which is small in size, which requires a minimum of panel mounting area, which can be mounted in close proximity to other similar lamps or other equipment, which can be mounted, in position from the front of the panel, which has a lamp replaceable from the front of the panel, which gives a clear indication from all viewing angles, which minimizes the possibility of false indications due to stray incident light rays, which is simple in design, which is economical to manufacture and which is rugged in construction.

The present invention contemplates an indicator light comprising a diffuser of a translucent material which is molded or otherwise attached to a small electric lamp so as completely to surround and enclose the glass portion or envelope of the lamp. The diifuser is preferably a multisided prism in shape-and is provided with means such as threads adjacent the base portion of the lamp for securing the diffuser and lamp in a socket in a body. The opposite end of the difiuser is provided with a plurality of radially extending serrations whereby false indications resulting from external light incident upon the end or sides of the diffuser are substantially eliminated. The body is preferably cylindrical and secured in an aperture in a mounting panel by means of a U-shaped clip of a flexible material whose leg portions lie adjacent diametrically opposed portions of the body. The leg connecting portion of the clip is riveted or otherwise fastened to the end of the body forming the bottom of the socket. Tabs are struck out or otherwise formed to project outwardly from the leg portions of the clip to engage the back of the panel when the body is inserted in the panel aperture thus locking the body in place.

These and other objects and aspects will be apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention which refers to a drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the indicator light;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the light shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view taken at right angles to the view in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view similar to Fig. 2 showing the diffuser and lamp removed from the body; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

As is best shown in Fig. 5, the indicator light consists of a body 10 molded from an electrically non-conducting material such as a suitable plastic in the form of a hollow cylinder whose lower end is closed by an integral head 12. The opposite end of the body 10 is open to form a socket for a small lamp L as will be described in detail hereinafter. Near the bottom of the socket is a disc 14 of plastic or other non-conducting material having a centrally disposed aperture therethrough. The bare end of an insulated conductor 16 is threaded through 2,742,636 Patented Apr. 17', 1956 The other connection to the-lamp L is made through a metal ring 26 which is molded in the body 10 near the upper end of the socket immediately below internal threads whose function will appear hereinafter. In this position the ring 26 acts as a second contact which engages four tabs 32 extending outwardly from theupper end of the sleeve terminal 34 which forms the base of the lamp L. The bare end of a second insulated con ductor 28, which is molded in the body 10, is soldered to the ring 26 as at 30.

Light rays from the lamp L are dispersed by a diffuser 36 of a translucent material of a suitable plastic such as nylon which is molded about the glass envelope of the lamp so that only the base thereof protrudes as is best shown in Fig. 4; The diffuser 36 is preferably a prism having sixteen or more sides 38 which break up any incident external light falling thereupon thereby minimizing the possibility of a false indication when the lamp is not energized. The upper end of the diffuser 36 is provided with a plurality of serrations forming facets 40 which correspond in number with the sides of the prism which facets perform the similar function of breaking up incident light.

The portion of the diffuser 36 adjacent the lamp base is provided with threads 31 (Fig. 4) which engage the internal threads in the body 10 so that the tabs 32 of the lamp sleeve terminal 34 are brought into contact with the ring 26 and the central terminal 24 engages the spring loaded contact 18 to complete the circuit to the lamp L. It will be apparent that this arrangement makes it possible to use the diffuser 36 as a knob or handle for removing the lamp L and diffuser as a unit from the front of a'panel P (Fig. 2) wherein the body 10 is mounted as described hereinafter.

In mounting the indicator lamp an aperture having diameter slightly greater than that of the body 10 is drilled or otherwise provided in the panel P and the body inserted therein until the bottom of a flange 42, which extends radially from the upper end of the body 10, is in contact with the front surface of the panel. The body 10 is restrained in the panel aperture by means of a U-shaped clip of a resilient material whose leg portions 44 lie on either side of the body. The leg connecting portion 46 of the clip is secured to the body head 12 by means of the above-mentioned hollow rivet 20. Each of the leg portions 44 is provided with two tabs or fingers 48 which are struck outwardly from the respective leg portions so that the free ends of the tabs are directed towards the ends of the leg portions (or upwardly as viewed in the drawing). As the body 10 is inserted in the panel aperture the leg portions 44 and the fingers 48 are bent inwardly until the fingers are beyond the back surface of the panel P whereupon the fingers spring outwardly so that the free ends thereof engage the back surface to lock the body in position.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an indicator .light such as is mounted upon a panel-an electric lamp, a diffuser of translucent material attached to the lamp over the glass portion thereof,

and a hollow cylindrical body of an electrically nonconducting material having an open end forming a socket with electrical contacts therein for connecting with the lamp, said body having a radially extending flange at one end thereof to limit the depth to which the body is inserted in an aperture in the panel and a U-shaped clip of flexible material arranged with its leg portions adjacent opposite sides of the body and its leg connecting portion attached to the closed end of said body, said leg portions having outwardly extending tabs which engage the back of the panel to lock the body in the aperture, the outer end of the wall of the socket and the diffuser having interfitting parts for removably securing the dilfuser to said body whereby the diffuser and lamp are removable from the front of the panel as a unit.

2. In an indicator light such as is mounted upon a panel-an electric lamp of the type having a base including a central terminal separated from a eoaxially disposed conducting sleeve terminal by an insulating portion; a ditfuser of translucent material attached to the lamp over the glass portion thereof; and a hollow cylindrical body of an electrically non-conducting material having an open end forming a socket therein with a spring loaded. contact at the bottom thereof for engaging the central terminal of the lamp and a second contact in the form of a ring positioned near the opposite end of the socket to engage the sleeve terminal; the portion of the wall of said socket between the ring and the open end thereof being threaded; said body having a radially extending flange at one end thereof to limit the depth to which the body is inserted in an aperture in the panel, a U-shaped clip of a flexible material arranged with its leg portions adjacent opposite sides of the body and a hollow rivet fastening the leg connecting portion of the clip to the closed end of said body, the opening in said rivet forming a conduit through which a lead can be brought to said spring loaded contact; said leg portions having outwardly extending tabs which engage the back of the panel to lock the body in the aperture; the portion of the ditfuser adjacent said lamp base having mating threads for removably securing the diffuser to said body whereby the diffuser and lamp are removable from the front of the panel as a unit.

3. In an indicator light such as is mounted upon a panelan electric lamp of the type having a base including a central terminal separated from a eoaxially disposed conducting sleeve terminal by an insulating portion; a diffuser of translucent material attached to the lamp over the glass portion thereof, said diffuser being prismatic in shape and having external threads upon the end portion adjacent the base of the lamp, the opposite end of the diffuser having a plurality of radially extending serrations whereby false indications from external incident light are substantially eliminated; and a hollow cylindrical body of an electrically non-conducting material having an opening forming a socket therein with a spring loaded contact at the bottom thereof for engaging the central terminal of the lamp and a second contact in the form of a ring positioned near the opposite end of the socket to engage the sleeve terminal; said body having a radially extending flange at one end thereof to limit the depth to which the body is inserted in an aperture in the panel, a U-shaped clip of a flexible material arranged with its leg portions adjacent opposite sides of the body and a hollow rivet fastening the leg connecting portion of the clip to the closed end of said body; the opening in said rivet forming a conduit through which a lead can be brought to said spring loaded contact; said leg portions having outwardly extending tabs which engage the back of the panel to lock the body in the aperture, the portion of the wall of the socket between the ring and the open end thereof being threaded to engage the diffuser threads for removably securing the diffuser to said body whereby the diffuser and lamp are removable from the front of the panel as a unit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,259,612 Friedel Mar. 19, 1918 1,415,984 Brown May 16, 1922 2,077,303 Bahr Apr. 13, 1937 2,081,703 Germonprez May 25, 1937 2,088,559 Kollsman July 27, 1937 2,093,038 Douglas Sept. 14, 1937 2,215,260 Woodward Sept. 17, 1940 2,340,053 Grimes Jan. 25, 1944 2,440,288 Paulus Apr. 27, 1948 2,465,753 Ross Mar. 29, 1949 

